Epidural anesthesia has become the most common form of pain medication for labor and birth, but it’s not for everyone.  Here are some common reasons an epidural might not be right for you:

1. Your Body Type: Sometimes, the doctor has no easy access to the epidural space. Factors that might make it difficult to find the right spot include obesity, scoliosis, scar tissue, unusual spinal archtecture or previous surgeries.
2. Drug interactions: Some medications, such as blood thinners, can make an epidural risky or ineffective.
3. Existing health issues: If you have a low platelet count, or other blood disorders, there is an increased risk of internal bleeding in the spine.
4. Timing: In some hospitals, anesthesiologists are available only at certain hours of the day, or certain days of the week. They may simply be busy and unavailable. Also, if you come into the hospital in advanced labor, or with a very quick labor, there might not be time to get an epidural in place.
5. Infection: If you have an infection on your back, you definitely don’t want your anesthesiologist putting a needle through that area.  It might cause the infection to spread to the spine and other areas of your body, which could lead to major problems.
6. Heavy bleeding or shock: Often, having an epidural lowers blood pressure. Therefor, if you are bleeding heavily or are suffering from shock, your already lowered blood pressure can make the situation even more dangerous.
7. Hospital restrictions: Some hospitals have policies about when you can have an epidural. Some stipulate that you must be at a certain point in labor (for example, four centimeters dilated) before an epidural can be given. Others may decide that epidural should not be given after a certain point of labor (for example when you’ve reached full dilation).

Source: About.com

image credit

As the experts at theCradle point out, “Something you wouldn’t think twice about doing under ordinary circumstances will be remembered as appalling if you do it during labor. No one wants to be the guy that’s remembered for taking a call from his stockbroker while his wife was in labor.”

Here are some tips from the authors of Don’t Just Stand There: How to Be Helpful, Clued-In, Supportive, Engaged & Relevant in the Delivery Room (via theCradle).

Here are the most common types of ultrasounds for pregnancy:

Standard Ultrasound

A standard ultrasound is the most common type performed during pregnancy. The technician holds a wand shaped transducer and rubs it over the stomach to produce two-dimensional pictures of the baby. If the doctor has any reason to suspect problems with the fetus, he may ask the technician to perform an advanced ultrasound. In an advanced ultrasound, the doctor points out areas of concern and the technician pays particular attention to those area.

Transvaginal Scan

In the case of a high risk pregnancy or if the mother is experiencing health issues, the obstetrician may want to perform an ultrasound earlier than a standard ultrasound. In these cases, a transvaginal ultrasound is used. The technician inserts the transducer into the vagina to perform the scan. Once the pregnancy reaches ten weeks, the obstetrician will typically choose a standard ultrasound.

Fetal Echocardiography

This ultrasound assesses potential problems with the development and anatomy of the baby’s heart and diagnoses any suspected heart defects. The obstetrician may recommend a fetal echocardiograph if he sees something suspicious on the standard ultrasound. He may also recommend a fetal echocardiograph if the patient or her partner has a history of cardiac abnormalities or the doctor notices irregularity in the fetal heartbeat. The technician can perform fetal echocardiographs either vaginally or through the abdomen.

3-D Ultrasound

A 3-D ultrasound uses computer software along with a specially designed transducer to generate a more complete picture of the baby. The transducer takes images in a series of slices which, when transmitted to the computer, form a three dimensional picture.

Dynamic 3-D Ultrasound

Often called a 4-D ultrasound, this ultrasound uses specially designed transducers to give a more realistic view of the baby. Parents enjoy seeing the dynamic 3-D ultrasounds because they can see their baby in action. The doctor and parents can watch the baby move in the uterus. While 3-D and dynamic 3-D ultrasounds are fun for the parent, they offer no diagnostic advantage over standard ultrasounds.

Info from LiveStrong

Image from UNC Healthcare

One thing I want to share about the birth is what got me through… is the TENS machine. It was fabbbbulous!!!! I highly recommend it, but no one seems to know about it – so please look into it, and know that it was amazing for me!!! www.bodyclock.net or www.babycaretens.com

Actually, this is not the first time I’ve heard about the TENS machine, but I didn’t know much about it so I took a look around online to find out more.  If it’s something you want to use for your childbirth (or any other type of pain management) you can buy or rent one online, as most hospitals do not provide a TENS machine.

What is a TENS Machine?

TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) machine is a small box with a clip that attaches to your clothes. There are four pads with electrodes connected by wires to a battery operated pulsar. The pads are smeared wtih gel (to ensure the best connection) and stuck onto your back (2 below your bra line and 2 above the panty line). Using a hand held control, you give yourself weak electric currents which then travel through to the points where you have the electrodes.  You control the frequency and strength of the pulses using dials on the machine. There’s also a “boost button” when you want maximum output from the machine to help you with a difficult contraction.

The pulses of electricity feel sort of like “pins and needles” and help combat pain during childbirth.

How does a TENS machine work?

It is unclear exactly how TENS works, although there are a number of theories. The stimulation from a TENS machine is thought to affects the way pain signals are sent to the brain. Pain signals reach the brain via sensory nerves and the spinal cord, which are blocked by electrical pulses. Another theory is that they electric currents stimulate your body to produce higher levels of its own natural pain killers called ‘endorphins’ .

TENS also gives you a feeling of control over your contractions, which helps you feel more relaxed and less anxious, and may provide a distraction from the pain.

When to use the TENS Machine

It takes about an hour for your body to respond to the electrical impulses by releasing endorphins, so it’s best to start using it as soon as regular contractions (or backache) begins.

Start at the lowest setting, and turn it up gradually as your contractions gets stronger. Use the “boost button” at the peak of contractions.

The benefits of using  TENS machines include:

• It is totally natural, safe, and drug free.
• You are in control.
• It is portable, so you remain mobile while using it.
• It allows you to use other drugs simultaneously.
• It is every effective if used from the onset of labor.
• Once the correct strength of the current has been set, the effects can be felt immediately.
• There are no side effects for you or your baby.
• It can be used at a home birth with no need for a doctor’s or midwife’s supervision.

There are some minor disadvantages to using a TENS machine:

• You will need someone to help you put the pads on.
• It only helps if begun during early stages of labor
• It may have to be removed if your baby’s heart has to be monitored electronically
• TENS cannot be used in water, so you need to remove it to use a birthing pool or take a bath.
• It pads get in the way if you want a massage, which can also be an effective form of pain relief.

You can use if AFTER labor too!

You can use your machine for:

• shoulder pain from breast feeding
• menstrual pain
• back pain
• after pains (as your uterus contracts back to its normal size)
• post-operative pain following a caesarian section

feature image from BodyClock

• Your ligaments are relaxing to allow for easier passage of the baby through the pelvis. However, they loosen up everywhere, putting more strain on your muscles, especially those supporting your spine.
• Your overstretched abdominal muscles force you to rely more on your back to support your weight.
• The change in your posture and the curvature of your spine creates still more work for the back muscles.

6 Simple Strategies to Prevent Backache:

1. Perform low-impact aerobic exercises such as swimming and biking to strengthen abdominal and lower back muscles.

2. Wear sensible shoes. Both high heels and totally flat shoes can strain back muscles. For every day wear walking shoes with a supportive arch, and for dressy occasions, try shoes with wide heels that are no higher than two inches.

3. Avoid jogging on hard surfaces, such as concrete or asphalt, which can be jarring to the spine. Instead, try fast walking on natural surfaces like grass, earth or sand, which are easier on the muscles and joints than pounding a hard surface.

4. Don’t twist your spine. When you stand or sleep be sure your shoulders and hips are aligned. Avoid awkward reaches, such as getting a heavy box down from the top of a closet or lifting a sleeping toddler from a car seat. If you must, see if you can rethink the job. For example, consider unbuckling a toddler’s car seat and turning the seat toward you before you lift your child out.

5. Avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time. When you do sit, use a footstool to raise your knees a bit higher than your hips, which takes the pressure off your lower back. If you need to stand in one position for a while, put one foot forward and place most of your weight on it for a few minutes, then switch your weight to the other foot. Better yet, prop the forward foot up on a step, stool, or cabinet ledge.

6. Sleep on your side, and frequently shift sleeping positions.

4 Safe Ways to Treat Backache:

1. Rest. Usually, simply resting strained muscles will ease the pain.

2. Soak in warm water. Try soaking in a warm tub or standing in the shower with the warm water streaming over the painful area.

3. Pack the back. Many mothers swear by a hot or cold pack (or alternating both) on the painful area. If baby pressing against your spine seems to be the cause of pain, as is common during the final month, try the knee-chest position for a while.

4. Massage it. Ask your mate to give you a back massage. Plus, practicing these back massages now may turn him into a pro who can help ease the pain of back labor.

For more pregnancy info and advice, visit Ask Dr. Sears!

Feature image from Woman’s Day

If any of these possible signs of premature labor occur, stop whatever you are doing and call your healthcare provider. Sit or lie down while you wait to hear what he or she advises.

1. Your membranes rupture and amniotic fluid either trickles or gushes from your vagina.

2. Contractions that you may have previously thought were normal Braxton- Hicks contractions now become more intense and more regular.

3. Sudden onset of low back pain or crampy pressure in your pelvic area; a feeling that you have not felt before.

For more information on Premature Labor, visit American Pregnancy or Dr. Sears.

The good news is that you’ll probably start feeling like your old self during the second trimester. Unfortunately, you’ll probably start loosing steam again at around seven months. As you enter the thrid trimester, you’ll be carrying more weight and may be having trouble sleeping well for a variety of reasons… in addition to frequent urination there’s backache, heartburn, leg cramps, the baby kicking just as you’re drifting off to sleep!

This is all normal, but if you feel like there might be something wrong, see your doctor about ruling out any underlying causes, such as anemia or depression. If you’re having problems with depression or anxiety, your caregiver can help you find a mental health professional.

Here are some coping tips from baby center.com:

Heed your body’s signals. Start by going to bed earlier than usual, and try to take a nap during the day. Even a 15-minute catnap can make a difference, so if you work in an office and you’re lucky enough to have a door, shut it, put your head down on your desk, and rest. Or get creative: Look for an empty lounge or conference room or lie down in the back seat of your car.

Try to adjust your schedule. Cut out unnecessary social commitments and let the housework slide. If you work outside the home, see if you can cut back on your hours or arrange to take work home over the weekend so you can cut out early once in a while. Take an occasional vacation day in the middle of the week (or a sick day if you’re not feeling well). If you’re a stay-at-home mom, give yourself a break now and then and leave your children with someone else so you can catch up on your sleep.

Make sure you’re eating right. You need about 300 extra calories every day, but watch where these calories are coming from! A healthy diet made up of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, skim milk, and lean meats can be energizing. Junk food, by contrast, actually saps you of vim and vigor. Snack on healthy foods like fruit and yogurt. Cut back on caffeine and make sure you’re drinking plenty of water so you stay hydrated.

Get some moderate exercise every day. You may feel like you barely have the energy to make it through the day, let alone exercise. But moderate activity, such as a short walk, can actually make you feel better. Take frequent breaks throughout your day to stretch and breathe deeply.

Hang in there. If first-trimester fatigue is getting you down, take heart that soon enough you’ll be in your second trimester and raring to go again. You may even be up to taking in the late show or going on a weekend getaway. If you’re nearing the end of your pregnancy, you’ll be a new mom before you know it, looking back on this period of relatively undisturbed nights with bleary-eyed nostalgia. So consider stocking up on your zzz’s while you can.

* I LOVE THIS (found it here): *

Sleek Silhouette: When dressing up, wear bottoms that rise over your belly for the smoothest lines under tops.

Splurge on basics; skim on trendy items: Forget about blowing your budget on that one funky printed tunic top like Gwen Stefani. Spend your money wisely on a great-fitting pair of jeans, some well-tailored work pants, and empire-waist tops.
Add color with fun, funky accessories: When wearing basics, make a statement with jewelry like bold necklaces or cocktail rings, which can be worn post-pregnancy.
Keep it balanced: Wear dark-wash maternity jeans with long, thin legs to balance out big tops.

Shop eBay: You can find designer maternity items at a fraction of the price through consignment shops and eBay. And, when you are no longer pregnant, you can resell them!

Budget shopping secrets: Comparison shop online for those must-have designer items to get the best price. When shopping at pricey maternity boutiques, walk past the high-dollar items at the front of the store and peruse the sale items at the back of the store. You may get lucky and find a real steal.

Top maternity fashion trends of 2008:

Maxi Dresses: With celebrities like Angelina Jolie and Nicole Richie dressing their baby bumps in long, flowing dresses, the maxi dress trend is one that caught on with both the pregnant and non-pregnant set. Pictured is actor Matthew McConaughey and his pregnant girlfriend Camila Alves wearing a long espresso-colored maxi dress.

Long skirts: Gwen Stefani was often seen wearing a long printed skirt with a bump-hugging top. This trend is both stylish and comfortable.

Maternity jeans: Jennifer Garner has been seen looking casual and stylish by pairing maternity jeans, such as 7 for all Mankind, with a cute maternity top.

Scarves: Celebrities such as Jessica Alba and Naomi Watts were often seen accessorizing their look with a colorful scarf tied around their neck.

Belt your bump: To prevent the dreaded “tent look,” celebrities such as Camila Alves and Naomi Watts were seen pairing a dress or long tunic top with a belt under their bellies.

You can start your research by asking your current gynecologist about good hospitals. It should be less than an hour away, and easily accessible by car. It is especially beneficial if the hospital is easily accessible by the interstate system, since you will not want to experience traffic while you are in labor. If you have a high-risk pregnancy, you should make sure that your hospital has a neonatal intensive care unit. Hospitals that use the latest neonatal-care technology are also a plus, in case of complications. The comfort and privacy of the delivery rooms, infant care, visitor rules, and other services may be factors to consider.

The questions you ask should be tailored towards your needs, and should always serve the purpose of opening up the lines of communications between you and your birth team. Some of the answers might be dependent upon your practitioner, while other policies will be determined by the hospital or birth center. These policies can have serious impact on how you labor or give birth, including your postpartum stay. Here are some questions from About.com to help get you decide what you need to ask of your place of birth:

Labor & Birth

• Do you offer any type of classes? Who teaches them? What is the cost? Do you have specialty classes?
• Where do I go when it’s time for labor? Is there a different place at night?
• What paperwork needs to be completed prior to admission for labor? Is there other paperwork to be done? Can it be done prior to labor?
• What will I need to bring with me when I’m in labor? Will my chart be sent over or will I need to hand carry it?
• Do you have a triage system? How long does one usually stay in triage?
• What types of birthing rooms are available? Can I labor, give birth and recover in one room?
• What types of comfort measures do you encourage? Is there a tub or shower in the birth room? Do you have access to birth balls, music, squat bar, etc.?
• What type of food or drink is allowed? Is there a kitchen area for myself or my family? Am I allowed to bring food or drink from home? Do you provide clear liquids like popsicles, broth, Jell-o®, etc.?
• Are IVs required? What about a saline lock to provide access to my veins instead? Who would make this provision if it’s not a standard policy?
• What type of medications are available should I choose medication? What IV medications are used? Do you offer epidural anesthesia? Is there a special class to take for the epidural? Do you have anesthesiologists who only do obstetrical anesthesia? Do you have 24 hour anesthesia available on site? Can I have a pre-labor consult with the anesthesia group if I have special concerns?
• Do you have visitor policies in labor? Do you have policies about siblings?
• Are cameras and film equpiment allowed? Are there any parts for which we should turn it off?
• What type of fetal monitoring do you offer? External? Internal? Doppler/fetoscope? What are the hospital policies on monitoring in labor?
• How often do you experience an overflow of patients? What happens if all of your birthing rooms are taken?
• Do you utilize students or residents in any way?
• What is your hospitals induction rate? How many patients receive augementation in labor? What is your episiotomy rate? Epidural rate? Forceps/vacuum rates? Cesarean rates? VBAC rate?
• Do you have doulas on staff? Do you have a listing of doulas?
• To whom should I send my birth plan? Does it need to be signed by my doctor or midwife? My pediatrician?

Cesarean Birth

• Can my partner stay with me for a cesarean birth? My doula?
• Can we have photos of the birth?
• Will I be able to watch the surgery via mirror? Could the drapes be lowered?
• What is the policy about pre-operative medications? Post-operative pain relief?
• Will the baby be available to me during the surgery time? In the recovery room? When can I begin nursing?
• If the cesarean is planned, what is the admission procedure?
• Will my partner be able to go with the baby, should s/he need to leave the room?

Postpartum

• Will I have the same room postpartum that I did for labor and birth?
• Are all your postpartum rooms private? Will I ever be moved from my room?
• Do the rooms have showers or tubs? What about sitz baths?
• Can members of my family stay over night? Is there an extra charge for this?
• What pain relief options are available postpartum? Does that differ if you’ve had a cesarean birth? What about nursing moms?
• What is the average length of stay for a vaginal birth? A cesarean birth?
• Is there a policy for early discharge?

Baby Care

• What is your policy on rooming in? Are there times that the baby cannot be in our room?
• Do pediatricians do their visits at the bed side? When would this not be appropriate?
• Do you have a lactation consultant? Is she available seven days a week? What are her hours? Does she see every nursing mom? Is she certified?
• What are the policies about breastfeeding babies and bottles/pacifiers?
• Are their sibling visitation policies?

image: The Brooklyn Hospital Center

Obviously, the level of care and sensitivity of hospital staff should be your first priorities. But beyond that, there are many other perks that you might want to look into. Some hospitals offer private suites (for those who are willing to pay) rather than a room that holds several women. Some private suites even offer amenities such as whirlpools and HDTV. Often, these suites also permit you to spend the entire duration of your labor and delivery in the same place, which is known as a Labor Delivery Recovery Postpartum (LDRP) room. You may also be cared for by one or two nurses who have no other patients, and so you will receive more personalized care. It is important to reserve a private room as early as possible in order to raise your chances of having it at your date of delivery.

Hospitals offering private suites also offer premium services such as:

• lactation (breast-feeding) consultants
• 24-hour anesthesiologist care
• a private nursery for keeping your infant near you after the birth
• 24-hour room service (new mothers can be hungry at odd hours of the day and night!)
• permission for siblings to watch the birth
• 24-hour visitors (unless the mother or infant is in need of more medical attention)
• massages that last from fifteen minutes to two hours
• free parking for visitors
• new-parent classes for parents to learn about infant care.
• special support groups such as new mothers groups, new fathers groups, and even new siblings groups.

After you have made a list of hospitals that interest you, it is a good idea to schedule visits with them. Many hospitals offer group or individual tours for their maternity centers. During your visit, scrutinize the facilities for cleanliness, because hygiene is essential when your baby is born and is vulnerable to infection. You should arrive at your tour with a list of questions, though it is likely that many of these questions will be addressed during your tour. In addition, you should ask for a brochure or pamphlet of the hospital’s policies and regulations for maternity patients, so you can brush up on them before your delivery date. During your visit, be careful not to be taken in by the luxury of the facilities—make sure first and foremost that the hospital has the resources to successfully treat your infant in case of emergencies.

For more information visit More 4 Kids and About.com: Pregnancy & Childbirth.

It seems to me that the real question is NOT, “Should we do it or should we not?” because there doesn’t seem to be any reason why a parent wouldn’t want to play it safe. But unfortunately, it is not a cheap proposition, and so the real question seems to be, “Can we afford it or can we not?”

When Dr. Robert Sears‘ wife was pregnant with their third child, his wife read about cord blood banking in a magazine. So to find out what was entailed, Dr. Sears researched the issue thoroughly, and discovered it was much simpler than he’d imagined. After the umbilical cord is cut, the blood is drained out of the placenta and remaining umbilical cord, thus the term, “cord blood.” This blood is rich in baby’s “stem cells,” which are immature blood cells that are able to change and mature into any type of blood cell as baby grows, just like bone marrow cells. These cells are preserved in a storage facility, ready for use when needed.

The Benefits of Family Cord Blood Banking
Cord blood stem cells are not just for your baby. It’s really an investment for the whole family. Virtually all mothers and about half of siblings will be a suitable match for baby’s stem cells. And while the chance that any family member will use the cord blood for cancer treatment is very low, the likelihood that it could be used to treat a variety of other diseases is considerable. The list of such diseases is growing every year as researchers study this fascinating field.

Heart Attacks. Doctors have infused stem cells into the damaged heart muscle of numerous heart attack patients to see if the cells would generate new heart tissue and repair the damage. Results so far look promising.

Coronary Artery Disease. Doctors have infused stem cells in the hearts of patients with clogged arteries. The stem cells helped new blood vessels grow around the blocked arteries, thus improving blood flow to the areas in the heart at risk of damage.

Vascular Disease. Stem cells have been shown to grow new blood vessels around narrowed or damaged arteries in the limbs and restore impaired blood flow.

Nerve and Brain Damage. Researchers have recently shown in a laboratory setting that human stem cells can mature into nerve cells. The implication of this for treating a variety of neurological problems is astounding.

Strokes. Researchers have shown that infusing human stem cells into rats improves brain function after a stroke or traumatic brain injury.

Multiple Sclerosis. Doctors have infused stem cells into patients with MS and have shown mild improvement in their disease.

Cardiovascular disease (heart attacks and strokes) is the number one cause of death. If stem cell treatments become a viable and routine option for preventing and treating cardiovascular disease, then having banked stem cells will be an enormous advantage. If researchers continue to show stem cells’ ability to regenerate damaged or diseased brain tissue, then the possibility for treating neurological conditions such as MS, Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s is exciting. Diabetes is another disease that is affecting more and more people. If stem cells could regenerate new pancreas tissue, millions of people could benefit. Who knows where we’ll be with stem cell treatments in 10 or 20 years?

Cancer and other blood-related disorders. Besides these exciting possibilities, there are still the current uses for treating certain cancers and other blood problems. Recent research in the field of Oncology showed the chance that a person would need to use his or her own banked stem cells for current treatments by the time they are 21 is one in 2700, and the chance that a family member could use them is one in 1400. Stem cells can either be taken from the patient’s or a matching family member’s bone marrow, or from stored cord blood. Here are some benefits when cord blood is used instead of bone marrow:

• Research has shown that survival rates double when a person’s own cord blood or a family member’s cord blood is used, compared to using an unrelated donor sample from a public stem cell bank.
• Having your own private sample ensures immediate availability of a perfectly matched sample.
• While bone marrow can also be a source of stem cells if needed, cord blood stem cells are easier to match for family members, thus increasing the chance that a family member can receive a related stem cell transplant.
• Research has shown that patients who receive cord blood stem cell transplants have a smaller chance of rejecting the cells, compared to bone marrow stem cell transplants.

During his pediatric training, Dr. Sears spent two months in the Children’s Hospital Bone Marrow Transplant ward. He watched numerous kids undergo these transplants, and observed that children who used their own bone marrow, or a family member’s marrow, fared much better. Deciding to bank your child’s cord blood can provides some peace of mind that if ever faced with such a challenge, you will have better treatment options available to you.

How cord blood is collected and stored
Months before your due date, the cord blood bank sends you a collection kit that contains everything that is needed for the process. The bank also sends your OB or Midwife instructions to make sure he or she knows how to collect the blood. When baby is born, and the umbilical cord is cut, the OB or Midwife collects the blood from the remaining umbilical cord and placenta (not from baby) into a syringe or blood bag. The process only takes a few minutes, and the blood is then set aside until all the birth excitement dies down. It can even be collected during a C-section. A family member places the cord blood into the pre-addressed mailing package, and makes one phone call to a medical courier to pick up the kit. Within hours the cord blood is picked up and shipped overnight to the cord blood bank. Once there, it is processed. The stem cells are removed from the cord blood, and it is placed into deep freeze storage. Collecting cord blood is simple, completely safe and non-invasive, and takes very little time.

Choosing a cord blood bank
According to Dr. Sears, making the decision to bank their baby’s cord blood was easy. Deciding who to trust to do the banking was a challenge. “There are several private cord blood companies to choose from, and I spent days reading their literature and scrutinizing their websites. I even called each bank and asked some important questions. I was surprised to learn how different the various institutions are. Some don’t store the cord blood themselves, but are just a middleman and send your sample to another company for storage. Some companies aren’t even certified as a blood bank. And I was shocked to find out that some banks have never even had a single stored sample used for transplant. I learned very quickly that, like most things in life, you get what you pay for.”

After careful research, he chose The Cord Blood Registry. Here are some reasons why:

• CBR has more transplant experience than any other private bank. As of this writing, they have used over 50 stored units for transplants. All were viable and completely usable. This was important to me because I felt if a bank has never used a single sample, how do they know their samples are viable and being stored properly?
• CBR was the first cord blood bank to become accredited, and has a perfect record. Why is this important? Many hospitals won’t accept units for transplant unless the storage facility is an accredited blood bank.
• CBR currently has nearly 175,000 cord blood samples stored, and owns and operates their own storage facility. They are not just a middle-man.
• CBR stores their samples in multiple vials. This is crucial because it allows one small vial to be unfrozen and tested for matching BEFORE the entire stored unit is prepared. That way, if a family member doesn’t match, the entire unit isn’t wasted. It may someday also allow more than one person to use the stem cells if the entire sample isn’t needed at once.
• CBR is affiliated with the University of Arizona, a well-respected institution. This gives me confidence that they are a professional institution that has a long-term interest in stem cell research and medical applications. It also gives other doctors who are treating their patients with stem cells confidence to know the samples are coming from a reputable institution.
• CBR is a financially strong company and has been storing cord blood since 1992. This is crucial because you want your samples to still be around in 20 years or more.

Deciding whether or not to bank your baby’s cord blood is a personal decision and, as I mentioned, a financial commitment. But parents only have one chance with each child to take advantage of this technology. You can enroll anytime during your pregnancy, but the earlier you do so, the more time you and your labor attendant have to receive the collection kit. When choosing where to store your child’s cord blood cells, it’s important to ask questions and research your decision carefully. Make sure the choice you make is as serious about storing the cord blood cells as you are.

Donating Cord Blood to a Public Bank
Parents who choose not to bank their baby’s cord blood through a private bank should strongly consider donating it to a public bank. There are several around the country, and some hospitals have programs set up for parents to donate. This makes the stem cells available to anyone who matches, and there is a huge need for this worldwide. Parents can investigate this option at their birth hospital. Donated units, however, are almost never available to the donating family if the need should arise.

For more info go to www.cordblood.com

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